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WHERE TO DONATE
1,642 pounds of trash is produced each year by the average North American and North America as a whole sends 10 million tons of just clothing alone to the landfills every year - 95% of which could be reused or recycled.
At Mine & Yours, we strive to live as green as we can. Not only do we encourage ourselves and others to shop locally and sustainably, but we also promote discarding things in a more environmentally-friendly way to avoid contributing to the 1,642 pounds! To help you, we have compiled a list of our favourite organizations in Vancouver and beyond who love to help their community donate or recycle pre-loved items!
We are so thrilled about our partnership with Still Fabulous Thrift as they continue to raise funds for patient support services, equipment and programs at BC Children’s Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital. Every season, we donate some of our items to their store because we love what they’re doing. And you can too! Bring your high quality, designer clothing to Still Fabulous where it will be resold to raise funds to benefit the BC Children’s and BC Women’s Hospital patients. They provide a place for the community to shop and share - something we’re passionate about as well!
The Zero Waste Centre provides a location for local residents to drop off a wide variety of materials for reuse and recycling, free of charge. Unique from other recycling depots, the Zero Waste Centre accepts materials that require special handling, such as batteries and propane tanks. They also accept larger quantities of items that curbside bins cannot hold.*
Wildlife Thrift is a Vancouver hotspot for all of your thrifted needs and drop-offs! They accept all clothes, furniture, books and houseware in good condition.* They believe in one simple concept: recycle, recycle, recycle! Not only does it help protect our environment, but it gives us all the opportunity to pay it forward in our beautiful community, and by extension, the world!
Every year Value Village has helped keep 700 million pounds of material out of landfills, while helping the marketplaces in developing countries around the globe. They accept pretty much anything in your house, except beds, automotive parts, damaged products and large appliances.*
Do you have bigger items in your house you would like picked up with no hassle? 1800 Got Junk has a very easy online process to schedule pick-ups. Once they haul your stuff away, it is either recycled, donated or disposed of responsibly. They accept old furniture, appliances, electronics, tires, debris and yard waste.*
The Habitat for Humanity ReStore carries gently-used home decor and outdoor supplies that have been donated from your home and garden. All money spent at the ReStore funds 100% of Habitat’s operations and goes towards building houses for families. They take paint, cabinets, flooring, heating and cooling, outdoor furniture, lighting, plumbing, roofing and a lot more!*
FABCYCLE diverts leftover fabric from becoming textile waste by reselling it. If you have pre-cut fabric, fabric rolls, or sewing supplies taking up space in your home, FABCYCLE will accept your donation! They provide a space where the community can circulate these materials and items back into use.
Clothing Companies That Will Take Donations
There are many clothing companies in the US and Canada that offer incentive programs for you to donate your old clothes. Levi’s and Madewell have partnered with Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green program who takes your donated denims and recycles them as insulation material in libraries, hospitals and schools. Levi’s offers shoppers 20% off any Levi’s item for donated denim. Madewell offers their shoppers $20 off a new pair of jeans. H&M Group also encourages clothing donations of any kind - old or new - for recycling in return for discounts in store.
Post on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc.
Not local to Vancouver? No problem! You can easily research local organizations around you that will accept donations or recycle your items responsibly. You can also post your items for free online! Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are great sites to use to advertise your items.
If you are still not sure where you can recycle a specific item, The City of Vancouver provides a search tool called Waste Wizard that you can use to find drop-off locations for particular items.
There are many great organizations who are dedicated to serving their communities by offering donation and recycling programs. With their help, we can limit our waste and give our pre-loved items new life by keeping them away from landfills!
*You can visit their website for a complete list of accepted donation items!